Artificial fuel and the process of making it



Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STAIES PATENT 'orrics.

LELAND IJ- SUMMERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL FUEL AND PROCESS OF MAKING IT.

No Drawing.

To all QUIlOHL it may concern Be it known that I, LELAND L. Snammns,

My invention relates to the manufacture of artificial fuel and consists in a new process by which a fuel closely resembling the characteristics of anthracite can be rapidly and cheaply made and which results in a better product than can be produced by.

methods now in use. Such forms part of the invention.

The essential principle of my process is to prepare a product by utilizing carbonproduct also aceous material which has been distilled orv partially distilled and to cause this product to assume a dense and compact form either during the process of distillation or in a subsequent process of briquetting. The fuel so produced is subjected to an additional treatment which will give it a hard protecting surface or covering by causing to be deposited on it a protecting layer of hard carbonaceous material, such covering being obtained from a. Solution of the bituminous matter of coal in a hydrocarbon or other solvent which solution may carry carbonaeeous matter of the coal in colloidal suspension. It may be deposited on the surface of the fuel or forced into the fuel by pressure applied to the solution while the fuel is immersed in it. The general practice of 'manufacturing fuels requires the distillation of carbonaceus material to be continued to a point where a very limited amount of vola tile matter remains in the carbonaceous residue in order that the carbonaceous residue will withstand mechanical handling. The product thus formed is of limited use as a domestic fuel through having very little volatile matter and having lost the charac teristic ability of natural anthracite to lg nite readily.

In my new prooess,the chemical and physical characteristics of anthracite may be imparted to a fuel product such as is described above. However, I prefer to make a fuel product by partially distilling bituminous coal so as toleave in the distilled product such a proportion of the volatile matter as may be desired. This partially distilled coal is compressed either by briquetting or by Application filed September 29, 1921.

residue of coal tar Serial No. 504,148.

compression during the process of distillation, as is fully described in my Patents No. 943,610, December 14th, 1999, No. 1,114,065, October 20th, 1914, and No. 1,115,526, October 5th, 1915, which show various types of coking retorts for performing this function. The compressed fuel, whether partly distilled or more completely distilled, will have the chemical characteristics, the appearance and general attributes of anthracite coal.

In carrying out myprocess, I do not limit myself to any particular kind or design of apparatus as many different forms can be used. Nor have I considered it necessary for the purpose of this application to illustrate any apparatus at .all since any apparatus alluded to-herein is of a character so simple as to be readily comprehended byall skilled in the art.

In the practice of my invention, I pref-- erably form a colloidal solution of finely ground coal having its bituminous content dissolved in phenol or other hydrocarbon solvent. It is well known that coal subjected to the action of these materials is soluble so I far as its bituminous matter is concerned. The fuel formed by compressing distilled carbonaceous materialmay be treated with this solution alone or in combination with other solutions, the excess of solvent being evaporated and recovered in any manner known and practiced in the arts. I preferably use a solution in solvents such as phenol, cresol or creosote, and add this to the heavy commonly termed pitch, the pitch being of the variety from which the volatile products have been extracted and which boils or softens only upon being highly heated. The portion of the coal in solution to which may be added carbonaceous matter in a colloidal state is then being thoroughly mixed as in a standard auto clave. The excess solvent is then recovered and the heavy solution remaining is used for the treatment of the fuel. If the fuel to be treatedis slightly porous, or it is desired to increase the density of the fuel, it may be treated under pressure. For this purpose, a drum or cylindrical retort such as is used in the creosoting of timber is utilized; the fuel loaded on small tram cars is run into the drum; the drum is sealed, and after exhausting the air as is done in the creosoting of wood, the drum is filled with the hot carbonaceous mixture and. steam pressure ap plied for a period not exceedingone hour and ordinarily about twenty mimutes is sufficient. WVhere a coating of only slight penetration is required the treatment maybe applied in an open tank. The fu'el'to' be treated being preferably first. heated is .im-

mersed in a tank of the heated carbonaceous mixture and then Withdrawn and-the coating ofrthe solvents-from the :Euelaftertreatment is avoided as the cooling action alone will cause a hardeningwof the carbonaceous coating, :the valuable solventsbeing recovered in preparing the bath :or' solution anditheteinperature of the bath being maintained :at

a point where itvis 'fiuid only by heat; It

ntuel which consists :in. subjecting raw coal to theiaction Ofit solve-nt' forithe soluble elegITlGIlllS' thereof forming. 11L :colloidal suspenit isxdesired; similar results may: be obtained by using an excess of solvents and the coating may: be applied cold The fuel after being treated will then require being subjected to a drying processpreferably withthe recovery of-solvents in avmannerxwell known :in=the arts. i

In the practice of mysinvention I have -obtained-satisfaetoryresults-l in using the c ingredients in- *the- -folilowing manner;

To 100 poundsiotfinelyi powdered coal, I add. 50 pounds :oii pitch-and; digest this mixture with 50pounds of phenol maintaining a temperature slightly abovethe boiling-point of waters The mixture vis-thenheated for two tothree hours to a temperature-of 225L- 300 F.-, causingit he phenol. toidigest the soluble portions of the. coal l and causing :the "phenol to react with certain ofthe aldehyde bodies and other compounds to form "phenolic resins. After :digesting .in the autoclave, I pretervably addv a'solvent such as crudebenzol orcrude solvent naphtha and distill themix- 'bonaceous material as above described.

ture for the recovery of the excess phenol. Theresulting mixtureis then diluted with asolvent such as crude solvent naphtha to the desired consistency and used to treat the car- In general, a coal rich in bituminous matter is preferred and in some cases it may be desired to-add-a slight amount ofaldehydic compounds to increase the formation of the phenolic resinous compounds in order to form a haul-coating carrying. the insoluble carbonaceous material of the COfll'l ll a colloidalstate.

I claim 1. The process of :producing an artificial fuel 'Wll'lCll GOIlSlStSlII"SHbJBCtlIIg raw coal to the action of a solvent for the soluble -ele- :ments thereof and! then covering compressed, distilled asolrd carbonaceous :.res1due with the SOLlHblOIl so;- obtamed.

2.: The process of producing an artificial sion of carbon-inzzsuch solvent and-then covering compressed;distilled solid carbonthe :action 'ofa solv'entdor the soluble ele ments thereof, imixi-ng pitch-With this solution and their covering- .compressed, distilled solid carbonaceous residue avith the mixture so obtained.

t. 'Theicomposition oli matterior artificial ztuel consisting of compressed; distilled solid carbonaceous residueacovered with a zsolu tion of the soluble elements of raw coal.

5. The composition ref-matter for artificialfuel consisting ot=con1pressed, distilled solid carbonaceousresidue covered with a solution of the soluble elements of raw coal mixed with carbon.

- LELAND L. SUMNLERS. 

